Scottish Executive

Citizens Advice Bureaux

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to questions S1W-30900 and S1W-30904 by Mr Andy Kerr on 21 November 2002, which publications of its Development and Justice departments refer people to the Citizen’s Advice Bureau service for advice and assistance.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Development Department issued three publications that contain references to the Citizens Advice Bureau service. These were: Mortgage Rights (Scotland) Act 2002 ; We Are All Responsible , and the Model Scottish Secure Tenancy Agreement . Justice Department issued two leaflets that contain references to the Citizens Advice Bureau service. These were: Summary Cause and Small Claims Procedure, and Complaints Against the Police.

Civil Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive by what means performance is determined in the senior civil service in respect of core pay bands 1, 2 and 3 covering JESP job weight ranges 7-12, 13-18 and 19-22.

Mr Andy Kerr: The performance management system operating within the senior civil service, throughout the Home Civil Service, is based on the achievement of agreed objectives for each member of the senior civil service. The process takes account of continuous improvement and delivery of results and is based on relative performance where each individual is compared across their respective pay band.

Civil Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average bonus was in respect of the top, middle and bottom tranches of performance for the senior civil service, expressed both in percentage and cash terms; whether such bonuses are given in addition to cost of living increases, and what other salary premiums are paid.

Mr Andy Kerr: The average bonus in respect of the top tranche was £3,000 and for the 33% of the middle tranche was £2,000. Bonuses do not apply to the bottom tranche.

  No cost of living increase applies, all pay awards are performance related and bonuses are paid in addition. There are no other salary premiums.

Civil Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the differential in total salary increases was between the senior civil service and the Scottish Executive Main Bargaining Unit in respect of (a) 2001-02 and (b) 2002-03.

Mr Andy Kerr: The first year of the new senior civil service pay system, introduced on 1 April 2002, allowed for awards of between 0% to 10%. The average increase for the senior civil service in the Scottish Executive for 2002-03 was 6.2%. The average increase for the Scottish Executive Main Bargaining Unit in respect of this same period was 7.3%. Under the previous senior civil service pay system, the average increase for 2001-02 was 4.6%. For Scottish Executive Main Bargaining Unit for the same period the average increase was 5.3%. These average increases do not reflect bonuses as bonuses are not part of salary.

  The pay increases in 2001-02 and 2002-03 for staff in the Scottish Executive Main Bargaining Unit are performance related and were made under an agreed three-year settlement covering the period 1 August 2000 to 31 July 2003. The pay settlement was tied to the introduction of a modern performance management system designed to ensure the delivery of key business objectives. A new performance management system for the senior civil service was also introduced in 2002. For that year, and as with previous years, the increase for the senior civil service was based on the recommendations of the Senior Salaries Review Body. Neither system provides for automatic annual increments.

Community Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that local authorities allocate resources effectively for free personal care for the elderly and care in the community generally.

Mr Frank McAveety: Authorities must demonstrate flexibility and good management of their free personal care resources alongside existing budgets for care for the elderly and delayed discharge. Anyone assessed as needing personal or nursing care will receive it.

  The Executive will be collecting data from local authorities on the uptake of free personal and nursing care on a quarterly basis.

  In respect of care in the community generally, I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-22126 on 8 February 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

   http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Community Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether unmet need for home care is now being measured in each local authority and, if so, what the figures are in respect of such need, broken down by authority.

Mr Frank McAveety: The Executive does not measure unmet need. We collect statistics on the number of people in receipt of home care services and the number of hours provided.

Community Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are waiting lists for (a) home and (b) residential care services in local authorities and, if so, how long each such list is.

Mr Frank McAveety: The information requested is not held centrally.

Community Safety

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many community safety partnerships there currently are in Renfrewshire and when each partnership was established.

Hugh Henry: Each local authority area has a community safety partnership, therefore there are two partnerships in Renfrewshire, one led by Renfrewshire Council and the other led by East Renfrewshire Council.

  The community safety partnership in East Renfrewshire was established in January 2001. The Renfrewshire community safety partnership was approved by the council and partners in January 2002, although a Community Safety Task Group for the area had been established since October 2001.

Community Service Orders

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many community service order supervisors are currently employed by each local authority.

Hugh Henry: The Executive does not hold centrally information on numbers of community service order supervisors employed by individual local authorities. However, figures for the numbers of community service staff employed as of October 2001 are given in the following table.

  
 Local Authority
Community Service Staff 
Aberdeen 12 
Aberdeenshire 9
 Angus 4
 Argyll and Bute
5  Clackmannanshire
2  Dumfries and 
Galloway 5 
Dundee 6 
East Ayrshire 10
 East Dunbartonshire
6  East Lothian
1  East Renfrewshire
3  Edinburgh
23  Eileanan Siar
2  Falkirk
7  Fife
3  Glasgow
47  Highland
18  Inverclyde
6  Midlothian
5  Moray
5  North Ayrshire
11  North Lanarkshire
26  Orkney Islands
1  Perth and Kinross
0  Renfrewshire
10  Scottish Borders
0  Shetland Islands
2  South Ayrshire
6  South Lanarkshire
18  Stirling
2  West Dunbartonshire
3  West Lothian
2  Total
260

Community Service Orders

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many community service orders were (a) applied for by each local authority, broken down by local court, and (b) issued by each local court in response in 2001-02 and in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Hugh Henry: Figures are available by individual local authority for the number of social enquiry reports which give community service orders as a preferred option, and the number of community service orders issued. The latest available figures, for 2000-01, are given in the following table. It is not possible to break these figures down by specific courts within individual local authorities.

   
Local Authority Preferred 
Option - CSO CSOs Issued
 Aberdeen City
154 185
 Aberdeenshire
70 84
 Angus 12
120  Argyll and 
Bute 60
71  Clackmannanshire
41 66
 Dumfries and Galloway
66 115
 Dundee City
270 339
 East Ayrshire
67 154
 East Dunbartonshire
42 45
 East Lothian
83 83
 East Renfrewshire
26 39
 Edinburgh, City of
346 394
 Eilean Siar
15 11
 Falkirk
51 94
 Fife 186
238  Glasgow City
555 811
 Highland
124 170
 Inverclyde
105 110
 Midlothian
82 79
 Moray 50
40  North Ayrshire
82 141
 North Lanarkshire
218 227
 Orkney Islands
6 6
 Perth and Kinross
68 80
 Renfrewshire
87 152
 Scottish Borders
93 67
 Shetland Islands
11 9
 South Ayrshire
70 92
 South Lanarkshire
350 240
 Stirling
36 31
 West Dunbartonshire
79 88
 West Lothian
91 73
 Total 3,596
4,454

Community Service Orders

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many community service orders were made in each of the last two years.

Hugh Henry: Figures for community service orders in the last two years are as follows:

  
 1999-2000
3,596  2000-01
4,454 

  Publication of figures for 2001-02 is planned for December 2002.

Crime

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to reduce the fear of crime among older people in Renfrewshire since 1997.

Hugh Henry: Since 1997, we have contributed to the safety of our communities in Scotland through initiatives such as the funding of CCTV, the formation of Community Safety Partnerships, an increase in police numbers and resources and other locally based community safety projects with the dual purpose of not only reducing actual crime but the fear of crime also.

  Recent survey information suggests that Scotland is a safer place to live compared to the rest of the UK not only for older people but also generally, and that the fear of crime amongst older people is also lower.

  We have set a target to reduce the fear of crime in the Justice section of the recently published Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06. Whilst no specific target or date has been set for this to be achieved, we aim to reduce the fear of crime for all in our communities by successfully meeting other targets within the spending proposals to reduce specific areas of serious crime. This should have a positive effect on how safe our communities feel. We shall use the Scottish Crime Survey 2004 results to measure progress.

Crime

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to reduce crime rates in disadvantaged areas in Renfrewshire since 1996.

Hugh Henry: The level of funding provided to police forces is now at record levels as are police numbers. Targets have also been set for the police to reduce violent crime and to increase drug seizures. CCTV has made an impact and Renfrewshire has benefited from Executive funding from the CCTV Challenge Competition, receiving a total of £180,692 since 1996.

  On 1 April we introduced a new Community Safety Partnership Award Programme to replace challenge funding and Renfrewshire Community Safety Partnership was awarded £147,522 in the current financial year to address local community safety priorities.

  Since 1996, Paisley Partnership has assisted local communities and agencies to develop a number of initiatives aimed at tackling crime in the 11 most disadvantaged areas in Renfrewshire. Many of these initiatives have been led by community groups and tackle the most pressing issues at local level. For example, a new initiative Communities Against Drugs is aimed at reducing the number of drug dealers in the social inclusion partnership areas.

  Renfrewshire Council has also been allocated £4.5 million over three years from the Better Neighbourhood Services Fund for a number of community safety initiatives.

Crime

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the (a) £100 million to tackle drug misuse in communities, (b) funding for 34 new CCTV projects and (c) £45.5 million to tackle youth crime will be spent in the Renfrewshire Council area and how these funds will be used.

Hugh Henry: The most complete information we have about Renfrewshire's allocation from the £128 million (£100 million augmented by a further £28 million over three years from Budget Consequentials) additional funding made available for tackling drug misuse is contained in the answer given to question S1W-31752 today.

  I understand that the reference to CCTV funding relates to the Make our Communities Safer CCTV Challenge Competition for 2000-01, which awarded funding to 34 CCTV schemes. No application was received that year from the Renfrewshire Council area. However, Strathclyde Passenger Transport made a successful bid for CCTV in 16 railway stations, one of which is in the Renfrewshire Council area - Howwood. The Make our Communities Safer CCTV Challenge Competition ran from 1996-97 to 2001-02, awarding £10.3 million to 161 projects. Successful projects within the Renfrewshire council area are detailed in the answer given to question S1W-31385 on 19 November 2002.

  Of the £25.5 million allocated to local authorities over four years from 2000-01 to prevent and reduce youth crime, £961,280 has been allocated to Renfrewshire. Of the £20 million EYF money earmarked for youth crime this year, Renfrewshire has received £128,506. For more information on the use of this money, I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-31379 on 19 November 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Drug Misuse

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to reduce the incidence of (a) drug misuse, (b) injecting by drug abusers and (c) needle sharing in Renfrewshire since 1997.

Hugh Henry: Details of local initiatives are contained in the Corporate Action Plans for the Greater Glasgow Drug Action Team and the Argyll and Clyde Alcohol and Drug Action Team. The plans can be accessed at http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/dat/cap.htm .

  The Renfrewshire area is benefiting from activities at national level, supported by the Executive’s £130 million additional investment over three years from 2001-02 to 2003-04. Drugs education is now provided in 98% of Scottish schools. Our Know the Score Drugs Communications strategy is helping to raise public awareness about the risks from drugs, and to signpost where help and advice can be obtained throughout Scotland.

  Our £13 million additional investment in treatment for drug misusers is helping to expand needle exchange facilities, and methadone programmes, which help to reduce levels of injecting and sharing of potentially contaminated equipment. Figures provided in the answer to written question S1W-31649 today in respect of drug injecting and sharing of equipment in Renfrewshire show an improvement in 2001-02 over the previous year.

Drug Misuse

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of people in Renfrewshire have (a) misused drugs, (b) been injecting drug abusers and (c) shared needles in each year since 1996.

Hugh Henry: The 2000 national prevalence study estimated that there are 2,441 individuals who are misusing opiates or benzodiazepines within Renfrewshire. These figures do not include drugs such as psychostimulants, cannabis etc. The figures correspond to a prevalence rate of 2.5% of the Renfrewshire population aged between 15 and 54. This compares to a Scottish prevalence rate of 2.0% Source: Estimating the National and Local Prevalence of Problem Drug Misuse in Scotland :

  http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/publications/abstracts/prevalence.htm.

  The following table provides information on the number of "new" individual patients/clients reported to the Scottish Drug Misuse Database from Renfrewshire.

  The database collects anonymous information about new problem drug users presenting at a broad range of drug services across Scotland, including general practices.

  Reports1,2,3 to the Scottish Drug Misuse Database 1996-97 to 2001-02 New Individual Patients/Clients Resident in Renfrewshire

  
  1996-97
1997-98 1998-99
1999-2000 2000-01
2001-02  New individuals
308 554
661 511
516 472
 No. of individuals providing information 
on injecting 298
536 604
474 472
434  % who have 
ever injected4 25
29 31
35 40
34  No. of injectors 
providing information on sharing4,5
56 120
130 94
114 112
 % who have ever shared
57 46
45 47
53 365


  Notes:

  1. All figures in this table exclude penal establishment inmates and information received from needle exchanges.

  2. The database collects anonymous information about new problem drug users presenting at a broad range of drug services across Scotland, including general practice.

  3. It is emphasised that the information held on the Scottish Drug Misuse Database relates to new patients/clients only.

  The definition of "new" is (a) the person is attending the particular service for the first time ever, or (b) the person has attended before but not within the previous six months.

  4. Includes both current and past injectors.

  5. When looking at trends between the years 1996-97 to 2000-01 and 2001-02, it is important to note that in April 2001 the sharing question changed from collecting data on sharing injecting equipment to collecting more detailed information on sharing needles/syringes and sharing spoons/water/filters/solution. A previous ISD study on outcomes suggested that the new information on sharing needles/syringes could be equated to the previous information on sharing injecting equipment. Caution is, however, recommended when comparing 2001-02 data with previous years.

Drug Misuse

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what drug action teams are operating in the Paisley North constituency area; how much funding has been allocated to each such team, and what indicators have been established to assess the effectiveness of the teams.

Hugh Henry: Paisley North falls within the area of the Argyll and Clyde Alcohol and Drug Action Team (ADAT).

  The Executive provides support funding of £122,049 to Argyll and Clyde Alcohol and Drug Action Team to ensure strategic planning of drug-related work and the co-ordination of drugs services. Funding for services is allocated through statutory funding streams or direct to local drugs initiatives. The main elements of drug-specific funding for Argyll and Clyde are:

  Argyll and Clyde NHS Board (drug treatment services ) £1,243,484 per annum.

  Renfrewshire local authority (rehabilitation) £235,000 per annum.

  Renfrewshire local authority (Changing Children's Services Fund) £668,000 over three years 2001-02 to 2003-04.

  In addition, the area benefits from a number of other funding initiatives which impact on the drugs problem, including crime prevention and criminal justice initiatives.

  All Drug Action Teams report annually to the Executive on action taken, and action planned, against national targets and standards. Details can be found on the national drugs website at:

  http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org.

Energy

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what up-to-date statistical data is available on energy flows, including primary inputs, transformation and distribution and areas of utilisation.

Iain Gray: The information requested is not held centrally.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will (a) give details of any bi-lateral ministerial meetings scheduled to discuss the forthcoming fishing quotas and (b) list any such meetings that have taken place in the last four weeks.

Ross Finnie: We held confidential discussions with the Commission, the presidency and other member states last week and further meetings will be held as appropriate.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what managed clinical networks are (a) currently being developed and (b) proposed.

Malcolm Chisholm: We already have practical examples of managed clinical networks (MCN) at local, regional and national level. There is the cardiac services MCN in Dumfries and Galloway, the diabetes MCN in Tayside, the regional cancer MCNs and national MCNs for cleft lip and palate and home parenteral nutrition. Two demonstration MCNs, one in vascular services and one in neurology with particular reference to stroke, are being evaluated.

  A wide range of MCN development is being taken forward, covering conditions such as multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, hepatitis C and primary immunodeficiency, as well as in areas such as pathology, mental health, learning disabilities and medical receiving in community hospitals.

  The CHD/Stroke Strategy makes clear that each NHS board should have a cardiac services and a stroke MCN in operation by April 2004. The Scottish Diabetes Framework has a milestone that by September 2004 Managed Clinical Networks for Diabetes will be established in each NHS board area.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive to whom the managers of managed clinical networks will be accountable.

Malcolm Chisholm: Network managers are accountable to the Lead Clinician of the managed clinical network.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the involvement of (a) patient groups and (b) the voluntary and independent sector will be in the development of managed clinical networks.

Malcolm Chisholm: Patient groups and the voluntary and independent sectors have a central role to play in the development of managed clinical networks. As our Health Department Letter (HDL(2002)69) indicates, involving patients is one of the core principles of managed clinical network development. The letter also points out that the value of patient representation at all stages of managed clinical network development has been clearly demonstrated.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected year-end surplus or deficit is of each acute hospital NHS trust.

Malcolm Chisholm: The forecast financial position of the acute NHS trusts as at 30 September 2002 was as follows:

  
 Trust Forecast 
Full Year Under/(Over) Spend Against Revenue Resource Limit(£000)
 Argyll and Clyde Acute
(3,689)  Ayrshire 
and Arran Acute (1,200)
 Borders General Hospital
60  Dumfries and 
Galloway Acute (300)
 Fife Acute Hospitals
(1,490)  Forth 
Valley Acute 123
 Grampian University Hospitals
(4,000)  North 
Glasgow University Hospitals 2,128
 South Glasgow University Hospitals
0  Yorkhill
175  Highland Acute
(1,284)  Lanarkshire 
Acute (763) 
Lothian University Hospitals  0
 West Lothian Healthcare
(1,520)  Tayside 
University Hospitals 0


  The figures in the table are taken from the September 2002 monthly monitoring reports.

  Those NHS trusts which were forecasting to overspend against their revenue resource limit are working with their local NHS boards, Primary Care NHS Trusts and the Scottish Executive Health Department in order to return to financial balance whilst protecting patient services.

Historic Scotland

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31475 by Dr Elaine Murray on 22 November 2002, which buildings were awarded grants under Town Scheme arrangements in each year since 1998 where the applicant was a private developer and how much was awarded for each such project.

Dr Elaine Murray: I have asked Graeme Munro, Chief Executive of Historic Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  The information requested is not held centrally. Each local authority operating a Town Scheme should hold a record of properties that have received grant and also details of the status of applicants.

Historic Scotland

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31475 by Dr Elaine Murray on 22 November 2002, whether it will list (a) all relevant conditions with which private developers must comply in order to receive staged grant payments during implementation of projects, (b) all projects in respect of which the level of grant has been adjusted after taking account of the rate of return and subsequent financial re-appraisal since 1998 and (c) conditions of grant relating to future maintenance and insurance on completion of projects.

Dr Elaine Murray: I have asked Graeme Munro, Chief Executive of Historic Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  The conditions that Historic Scotland attaches to the grants it makes on behalf of Scottish ministers are in a standard legal form. A copy has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 25425).

  With regard to adjusting the level of grant, since 1998 recovery of grant has been made in six cases where excess profit was made after a disposal and following a re-appraisal. The sum recovered amounted to £542,985. The financial information provided in such cases is confidential and individual details are not disclosed.

Justice

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases are currently at avizandum in each sheriff court district.

Mr Jim Wallace: This information is provided in the following table.

   
Grampian, Highland and Islands
South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway 
Aberdeen 14
Airdrie 0 
Kirkwall 0
Ayr 5 
Banff 1
Dumfries 2 
Fort William 3
Hamilton 8 
Inverness 5
Kirkcudbright 0
 Lerwick
1 Lanark
2  Elgin
0 Stranraer
0  Dingwall
0 Glasgow
 Dornoch
0 Glasgow 
12  Lochmaddy
0 Tayside, 
Central and Fife  Peterhead
0 Tayside
 Portree
0 Arbroath 
0  Stonehaven
2 Dundee
3  Stornoway 
1 Forfar
0  Tain 
1 Perth
3  Lothian 
and Borders Central
 Edinburgh
1 Alloa
0  Linlithgow
1 Falkirk
1  Haddington
1 Stirling
3  Peebles
0 Fife
 Jedburgh
2 Cupar
3  Duns
0 Dunfermline
0  Selkirk
1 Kirkcaldy 
1  North 
Strathclyde  
 Campbeltown
0  
 Dumbarton
4  
 Dunoon 
1  
 Greenock
2  
 Kilmarnock
2  
 Oban 1  
 Paisley
8  
 Rothesay
0

Learning Disabilities

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what further progress has been made in implementing the recommendations of The same as you? .

Mr Frank McAveety: Significant progress has been made with all 29 recommendations of The same as you? review of services for people with learning disability. Particular milestones include the setting up of Learning Disability Change Funds with effect from April 2001, totalling £36 million in the first three years; establishment of the Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability, launched on 5 October 2001, and preparation of Partnership in Practice agreements in every area in Scotland.

  Progress at national level in September and October included the issue of guidance on local area co-ordination to all local authorities and NHS boards, and the commissioning of research into the needs of people with learning disabilities who are in prison or secure accommodation. Working with The same as you? Implementation Group we will continue to work to ensure progress is maintained.

NHS Charges

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will liaise with Her Majesty's Government in order to address the areas of concern identified in the Fraud Investigation Unit report Family Health Services in Scotland - Annual Report 2001-2002 , and, in particular, to patients being "confused by the different entitlements to each service" and the "complex system of entitlements" relating to Working Families Tax Credit and Disabled Persons Tax Credit.

Mr Frank McAveety: Matters related to tax credits are reserved. Specific categories of tax credit recipients and their partners are passported to full help with NHS charges and receive a certificate advising them of this fact.

  The Executive has commissioned research into the efficiency and effect of the patient charging system on equity of access to treatment. The Executive has also collaborated with NHSScotland Counter Fraud Services (CFS), formerly known as the Fraud Investigation Unit, on publicity campaigns to inform the public of the categories of patient who are entitled to free NHS prescriptions, NHS optical vouchers, NHS sight tests and full or partial help with NHS dental treatment and to encourage those patients who fall within these categories to take up their entitlements. This collaboration will continue and the CFS has been tasked with taking forward independent initiatives to continue to clarify the position.

NHS Funding

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding under the Arbuthnott formula was due to be allocated over three years and how much of this funding has been given to each NHS board to date.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive’s plans for implementing the recommendations in Fair Shares for All indicated that the aim was for all boards to reach their Arbuthnott share of resources within five or six years.

  Since the introduction of the Arbuthnott formula in September 2000, all boards have received a minimum increase in unified budget with those boards below their Arbuthnott share receiving additional funding. To date, additional funds totalling £71.2 million have been allocated to boards currently below their Arbuthnott share.

National Cultural Strategy

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive who participated in the review of existing forums for gathering the views of those working in the cultural sector about ways in which national arrangements might be adjusted and improved, as referred to in key priority 1.1 of strategic objective 1 of Creating our Future: Minding our Past ; whether the results of the review were published, and what its findings were.

Dr Elaine Murray: As stated in the second annual report of Scotland’s National Cultural Strategy, a review of the Scottish Arts Council will report shortly. The review has considered Scottish Arts Council's external links and partnership working with other agencies and the cultural community more widely, and the findings will be reported. A wide range of people and organisations participated in the review including artists, arts organisations and local authorities.

National Health Service

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of fraudulent claims in the NHS has been in each of the last five years.

Mr Frank McAveety: NHS trusts and boards complete a losses return at the year-end as part of the annual accounts process. Fraud losses are reported alongside losses arising from theft and arson, so it is not possible to identify a figure for fraud alone.

  The following table summarises the totals reported by NHS boards for theft, fraud, and arson in the last five financial years and the equivalent totals reported by NHS trusts for the last three financial years.

  Theft, Fraud and Arson Losses Reported

  
  2001-02(£)
2000-01(£)
1999-2000(£)
1998-99(£)
1997-98(£) 
NHS Trusts 44,345
75,625 106,406
Not Available  NHS Boards
3,746 21,840
23,296 40,120
18,742  Total 
48,091 97,465
129,702 Not Available


  In addition, since its establishment in July 2000, NHSScotland Counter Fraud Services of the Common Services Agency (formerly the Fraud Investigation Unit) has identified losses to family health services from false or inappropriate payment claims of £98,027 in 2000-01 and £100,924 in 2001-02.

National Parks

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the reason is for the choice of the Gaelic name for the Cairngorms National Park and which authorities on Gaelic place names were consulted before the choice was made.

Allan Wilson: The draft Designation Order now before the Parliament does not prescribe a Gaelic name for the National Park. However, we expect the Park Authority to follow the example set by the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority by referring to itself in both English and Gaelic.

  We shall be issuing guidance to the Park Authority in due course. The use of a Gaelic name will be one of the issues to be addressed.

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive which members of the boards of non-departmental public bodies have been dismissed by ministers since 1997.

Mr Andy Kerr: No non-executive board member of any non-departmental public body for which Scottish ministers have responsibility has been dismissed since 1997.

Police

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many hours of overtime were worked by police officers during the recent two-day fire strike in each police force area.

Mr Jim Wallace: All Scottish police forces have been advised that the cost of any necessary activity incurred in connection with the current industrial activity which is additional to, but not in substitution for, that normally incurred by forces will be reimbursed in full by the Executive. Claims are to be submitted on a monthly basis. As claims covering the recent two-day strike have still to be submitted, no details are currently available.

Police

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the cost of overtime payments to police officers during the recent two-day fire strike, broken down by police force area, and whether it will meet the cost of such payments.

Mr Jim Wallace: All Scottish police forces have been advised that the cost of any necessary activity incurred in connection with the current industrial activity which is additional to, but not in substitution for, that normally incurred by forces will be reimbursed in full by the Executive. Claims are to be submitted on a monthly basis. Claims covering the recent two-day strike have therefore still to be submitted.

Roads

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received an offer from West Sound Radio that would provide free maintenance of roundabouts to a high standard on the A77.

Lewis Macdonald: Yes. The Scottish Executive did receive a proposal from West Sound Radio suggesting that it would pay for landscape works on the roundabouts in exchange for signs which, we understand, would carry information about the radio station and also road safety messages. However, the proposal lacked detail and officials have therefore written to West Sound Radio setting out the Scottish Executive’s position on this and other road safety related issues.

Safer Routes to School

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding allocations have been made to each local authority to create Safer Routes to Schools in each year since 1997.

Lewis Macdonald: Allocations of £5.2 million for Safer Routes to School (SRTS) were provided for the financial year 2000-01. Subsequent allocations have been made for wider cycling, walking and safer streets (CWSS) projects which can include work on safer routes to school. Details of the allocations are set out in the table.

   
Local Authority SRTS2000-01(£000)
CWSS2001-02(£000)
CWSS2002-03(£000)
CWSS2003-04(£000)
Total(£000) 
Aberdeen City 200
111 171
300 782
 Aberdeenshire
205 118
182 316
821  Angus
109 65
100 175
449  Argyll and 
Bute 109
58 90
157 414
 Borders
108 62
94 164
428  City of Edinburgh 
 467
277 425
739 1,908
 City of Glasgow
674 372
570 991
2,607  Clackmannanshire
48 29
44 76
197  Dumfries and 
Galloway 140
79 121
211 551
 Dundee City
145 82
125 218
570  East Ayrshire
120 71
109 189
489  East Dunbartonshire
114 66
101 176
457  East Lothian
89 55
85 148
377  East Renfrewshire
89 53
81 142
365  Falkirk
142 85
130 227
584  Fife 
345 204
313 544
1,406  Highland
215 112
172 299
798  Inverclyde
93 51
78 135
357  Midlothian
84 50
77 134
345  Moray
85 44
68 118
315  North Ayrshire
150 82
125 217
574  North Lanarkshire
334 196
300 521
1,351  Perthshire 
and Kinross 132
80 123
213 548
 Renfrewshire
185 106
162 282
735  South Ayrshire
113 67
103 178
461  South Lanarkshire
309 189
289 503
1,290  Stirling 
 86
50 77
133 346
 West Dunbartonshire
98 57
87 151
393  West Lothian
151 95
146 253
645  Western Isles 
 37
19 29
50 135
 Shetland Islands 
0 0
0 0
0  Orkney Islands 
 25
15 23
40 103
 Total 5,200
3,000 4,600
8,000 20,800

Scottish Executive Websites

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30906 by Mr Andy Kerr on 21 November 2002, whether the research on the effectiveness of the Learn to Let Go campaign (Bib. number 25242) was sent to the Scottish Parliament Information Centre in sufficient time to be available there on 21 November 2002.

Mr Andy Kerr: A copy of the research was sent to a named official at the Parliament’s Reference Centre during the afternoon of 15 November. It was sent after my officials checked the procedure for placing material in the Parliament’s Reference Centre, contained on page 25 of the parliamentary questions guidance, a copy of which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre. An e-mail from the Scottish Executive’s Media and Communications Group, timed at 14.49 and dated 15 November confirming that a copy of the research was about to be sent, has since been forwarded to my office. Furthermore, the copy of the research was seen to be placed in the Executive’s internal post by a senior official.

  When the Executive was notified on 22 November that a copy of the research had not arrived, a second copy was immediately dispatched to the same address after checking that it was correct.

Sexual Offences

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29188 by Dr Richard Simpson on 30 October 2002, what its estimate is of the extent of drug-assisted sexual assault.

Hugh Henry: The nature of drug-assisted sexual assault makes it difficult to obtain reliable information. Information is collected about the number of people proceeded against and convicted for sexual offences, but drug-related sexual assaults are not separately identifiable.

  The Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency's Strategic Assessment includes some estimates, but these cover many cases where the use of drugs in sexual assaults was suspected. As such, we consider that the figures are not sufficiently comprehensive or robust for publication.

Shipping

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many journeys (a) single-hulled and (b) other oil tankers have made in Scottish waters in each year since 1999.

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) single-hulled and (b) other oil tankers operated in Scottish waters in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) types and (b) amounts of oil (i) single-hulled and (ii) other tankers have carried in Scottish waters in each year since 1999.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is not held by either the Scottish Executive or the Department for Transport, which has responsibility for shipping policy, a reserved issue.

  Statistics are available on the numbers of tankers which arrive at Scottish ports from oil rigs or from abroad, as is, an overall estimate of the total tonnage of oil arriving at and departing from Scottish ports. These are given in Tables 3.6 and 3.8 of the Department for Transport publication Maritime Statistics 2001 (Bib. number 25429) and Table 10.7 of the Scottish Executive publication Scottish Transport Statistics 2002 (Bib. number 23316), which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Shipping

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities with coastal boundaries have oil pollution contingency plans and whether these plans specifically address an incident of the scale of the sinking of the Prestige off Spain on 19 November 2002.

Allan Wilson: All Scottish coastal local authorities maintain counter pollution contingency plans in line with a general power under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 with respect to emergencies or disasters. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), as the responsible UK authority, has advised local authorities that they should revise and submit their plans every five years, or earlier if substantial changes are needed.

  While such plans will refer to, and mesh with, the National Contingency Plan for Marine Pollution from Shipping and Offshore Installations (NCP), they will usually only cover minor spills that can be tackled locally. In the event of a major spill in the UK pollution control zone, similar to that involving the Prestige off Spain, the MCA will implement the NCP, calling on participation or assistance from relevant statutory bodies, and deploying the UK’s national assets in response.

Smoking

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support the findings of the British Medical Association’s report, Towards smoke-free public places, and to encourage the banning of smoking in the workplace.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The Scottish Executive is well aware of the health risks posed by passive smoking and has consistently pressed for smoke-free facilities in both public places and workplace.

  To drive forward an increase in smoke-free facilities in public places we launched the Scottish Voluntary Charter on Smoking in Public Places in May 2000. The charter was signed by the four main bodies in the licensed, tourism and hospitality industries, the British Hospitality Association, the Scottish Beer and Pub Association, the Scottish Licensed Trade and the Scottish Tourism Forum. We will be reviewing progress against targets for the charter with the signatories early next year. This will allow us to consider what further action is needed to increase non-smoking provision in public places.

  In addition the Scottish Executive is working with the Health Education Board for Scotland on a passive smoking communication strategy to raise public awareness of the risks associated with passive smoking.

  We recognise the workplace is a major opportunity for health improvement. As part of our on-going health improvement drive we will be seeking to accelerate health improvement through workplace-based initiatives. Clearly, robust workplace smoking policies will continue to be central to this programme. Moreover, we will continue to press the UK Government to bring forward an Approved Code of Practice on Smoking in the Workplace which was heralded in the Smoking Kills white paper.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Private Companies

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer under what criteria a private company is allowed to use the term "Scottish Parliament" in its title.

Sir David Steel: Although there is a process for company names to be registered, it is not for me to answer for the Registrar of Companies.

Private Companies

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer how many private companies receive grant assistance from the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body.

Sir David Steel: The Scottish Parliament does not give grants to private companies.

Scottish Parliament and Business Exchange

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer how much grant money the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) has given to the Scottish Parliament and Business Exchange in each year since the scheme started.

Sir David Steel: The SPCB has not given any monies to the Exchange since the scheme started.

Scottish Parliament and Business Exchange

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer what the cost to the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) has been of (a) travel, (b) accommodation and (c) other expenses in respect of MSPs taking part in Scottish Parliament and Business Exchange programmes in each year since the scheme started.

Sir David Steel: There has not yet been a cost to the SPCB.

  The SPCB agreed in May 2002 to set aside a central budget for MSPs' travel and overnight expenses for placements in the UK and visits to Brussels and Strasbourg. The Exchange is to draw down, in January 2003, the first tranche of this budget for the following expenditure within the UK in this financial year:

  
 Travel
£1,948.43  Accommodation
£1,043.00  Other Expenses 
(i.e. meals) £109.78
 Total
£3,101.21

Scottish Parliament and Business Exchange

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer what the cost has been of any hospitality paid for by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body in relation to the Scottish Parliament and Business Exchange in each year since the scheme started.

Sir David Steel: £735 was expended in 2001-02 and £629 in 2002-03.

Scottish Parliament and Business Exchange

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer what the cost to the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body has been in staff time in respect of supporting the Scottish Parliament and Business Exchange, broken down by financial year and showing separately the cost of support in relation to (a) IT, (b) the media office, (c) Standards Committee clerking, (d) the office of the Chief Executive, (e) the office of the Presiding Officer and (f) website design.

Sir David Steel: Modest staff support has been provided to the Exchange since its inception but Parliament staff do not generally keep time sheets logging individual work activities. Staff time spent on supporting the Scottish Parliament and Business Exchange cannot therefore accurately be calculated.